s passing out of their lives, in very
truth--even out of Cousin Julia's, and--forever. And Cousin Julia,
who, Elsie knew had basked in the enjoyment of the others, would have
it for a happy memory, when----

But she mustn't go further now. It was hardly safe. To-morrow was
Christmas Day. Until the day after, she wasn't going to think ahead.
Only on the 26th of December would she begin to make definite, final
preparations. She wouldn't spoil tomorrow by looking beyond it.

Christmas was a wonderful day. Elsie did not realize how delirious her
enjoyment was nor how painfully she was keyed up because of her
underlying apprehension of coming agony. Neither did she understand it
when she waked suddenly from sleep the following morning, feeling so
exhausted as to be almost ill, and with a terrible sinking at heart
which settled into depression the like of which she had never
experienced before.

It might have seemed that she was in no condition to complete the
proposed plans. But as a matter of fact, there was little to do.
Though the girl hadn't deliberately or consciously looked ahead, the
matter had been in her mind; and now when she came to consider the
question as to where she should go, she found it practically settled.
When she brought up the idea of going to California and trying to get a
chance as a moving-picture actress, she was ready with the objection
that the films were most likely to reach New York and that her dimples
would give her away at once. Her wisest move would be to take refuge
in some place equally distant from her stepmother in San Francisco and
from New York. Which, of course, was no other than Chicago. She had
enough money to take her thither and take care of her until she should
get a start--in some vaudeville house as she hoped. And then she would
be truly lost--forever, in all probability, and perhaps in more senses
than one.

Miss Pritchard was struck by the change in Elsie that morning at the
breakfast-table. The child looked almost ill. She said nothing to
her, however, feeling that it was the reaction from the excitement of
Christmas, and believing she would be better for the distraction of the
school. But she couldn't dismiss the matter from her mind all day, and
the more she thought of it the more serious it seemed. She realized
that Elsie hadn't looked merely tired or even exhausted. It was worse
than that. For the first time since she had come East, Miss Pritchard